Leading international animal welfare charity Brooke(1) attended an event to call on protecting donkeys from the skin trade this week.

Brooke, its partners in the International Coalition for Working Equids (ICWE)(2) and the African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)(3) met on 26 May 2025 in Paris, France as an official side event for the World Organisation for Animal Health’s (WOAH) 92nd General Session(4).

The event renewed partnership and commitment to preserving the continent’s donkeys, who are threatened by a trade which slaughters them for their skins.

Chris Wainwright, CEO of Brooke, said: "The ongoing threat to donkey populations from the illegal skin trade is an urgent crisis that requires immediate action.

“At Brooke, we stand firm in our commitment to protect these incredible animals, who are essential to the survival of so many.

“We must unite globally to end this exploitation and secure a future where donkeys are valued and safeguarded, for generations to come."

Almost six million donkeys are killed every year to meet demand for eijao, a medicine made from their skins used in cosmetics and supplements globally.

Brooke, a charity improving the lives of working animals worldwide, warns the trade could lead to the extinction of donkey populations, particularly in Africa.

Over 100 million working animals, including donkeys, provide food security to 600 million people globally.

Dr. Huyam Salih, Director of AU-IBAR, said: “Their (donkeys’) relentless support to agriculture, transport, income generation, and contribution to food and nutrition security, as well as their role in the daily lives of rural women, men, youth, and children, is indispensable.

“Yet, they remain vulnerable, particularly in the face of emerging threats.”

In 2024 thanks to lobbying by Brooke, the African Union opted for a continent-wide ban of the skin trade(5), protecting 32 million donkeys.

Brooke and ICWE will attend The Pan African Donkey Conference (PADCo)(6) on June 26-27 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to support the African Union’s ban and call for wider action.

The charity is also campaigning to reduce consumer demand for donkey skin products, by boycotting platforms such as Amazon selling eijao.

In 2024, Brooke’s sister organisation, Brooke USA, delivered 370,000 petition signatures to Amazon to ban its sale of donkey skin products(7).

Learn more about the donkey skin trade and Brooke’s work to fight against it here(8).

(1) - https://www.thebrooke.org

(2) - https://www.icweworkingequids.org

(3) - https://www.au-ibar.org

(4) - https://www.woah.org/en/who-we-are/structure/world-assembly

(5) - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-68335851

(6) - https://panafricandonkeyconference.org

(7) - https://www.thebrooke.org/news/amazon-under-pressure-ban-donkey-skin-products

(8) - https://www.thebrooke.org/our-work/donkey-skin-trade

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